


Sorrow Descends

by M_E_Lover



Category: Person of Interest (TV)
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Pain, Sadness, some blood, some violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-28
Updated: 2017-07-28
Packaged: 2018-12-08 04:28:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,570
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11638908
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/M_E_Lover/pseuds/M_E_Lover
Summary: Harold saves their latest number but John is too late to save him.





	Sorrow Descends

**Author's Note:**

> I woke up depressed and once again this was the outcome, please forgive me!
> 
> Thanks as always to oddgit for the proofing!  
> All mistakes are my own.

John hears an indistinct scuffle through his earwig. Then he hears the unmistakable sound of Harold gasping in pain and knows something’s terribly wrong. “Finch!” 

There was no time to lose. John had been delayed at the precinct helping Carter with a case and Harold had gone on ahead to the scene alone. 

The man that had been hired to kill their latest number had been bribed by Harold with a shit load of cash to leave the country and the victim alive. 

But the man didn’t want to wait around to be paid off so Harold had to make the decision to intervene before John had enough time to get to the location. The deal was that the transfer of cash was supposed to take place and the culprit was supposed to take it and run with no one getting hurt.

It didn’t quite work out that way. Harold had stayed behind to make sure that the victim was safely away before handing over the briefcase. 

The man took it and grinned at Harold maliciously then turned and left the room. Harold made it downstairs and headed to the front entrance to leave the apartment complex... the violent man surprised him and had him restrained in a choke hold from behind before he knew what was happening. 

Harold didn’t have a chance as he was maneuvered and pulled into the back alleyway and slammed against the brick wall of the building, brutally knocking the wind from him. 

He reached up instinctively and hit his end of the earwig to open the channel up to John. But before he could say a word the violent criminal rushed him with a knife and plunged it into Harold’s abdomen multiple times before rushing off and leaving him to bleed out.

“Harold! What’s happening?” John was in the car and driving as quickly as he could to get to him.

 

“I’m here John…” Harold began, “Miss Collins is safe. He’ll… no longer be a threat to her.” He was aware enough to know that his wounds were life threatening and the pain was excruciating as he tried to think past it to his next move.

“Where are you?” John had heard the evidence of some sort of physical altercation through the comm and Harold’s pained breaths. He hoped he had just been beaten, not seriously injured.

“I’m …in the alleyway… behind the building.” He was holding himself up, propped against the wall, trying to get his breathing under control. It was painful, extremely painful and he looked down at his hands to see the blood escaping through his fingers as he held them tightly against the entry wounds.

“Are you hurt?” John felt a sense of dread as he asked the question. 

“I’d say so... yes.” He was starting to feel light headed and vaguely thought to himself that it wasn’t going to take very long to die.

“How bad?” John knew it was bad, he had a gut feeling it was but asked the question anyway, praying that he wasn’t going to be too late.

“Oh… it’s pretty bad John.” Harold was losing the strength to keep himself on his feet as he leaned against the alley wall and felt his legs weakening beneath him.

“Can you get to the street? anywhere you can get some help?”

“I… don’t… I’ll try, but I don’t...” Even as he said the words he felt himself tipping over and losing the ability to focus on anything but the immense pain in his mid-section.

“Harold, I’m ten minutes out. Can you make it that long?” John was breaking all speed limits as he shut off his end of the comm and dialed 911 to give them the address of the building.

“No John... I don’t think…” It was getting harder to stay focused now and more difficult to breathe. He felt too hot at first and then began to feel very cold. A fine sheen of sweat arose on his skin and glistened on his pale face as the blood continued to swiftly leave his body, soaking into layers of fine bespoke tailoring.

“Try Harold. Try and get to the street. I’ve got an ambulance on the way.” John called Joss and hurriedly gave her the address as well, telling her that Finch had been hurt and to meet him at the scene. 

“I don’t... think…” He began again but changed his mind. He had to pick and choose his words very carefully now for he knew that there weren't going to be many left.

“John… I want... I need... to thank you…" he gasped breathlessly. He was fighting with everything he had for the energy to finish what was so important to get through to his partner. "Thank you... for helping me... with the... with the numbers…” The pain was starting to ease off and was becoming vague and distant. There wasn't a question in his mind that he was going to die any time now.

“Finch… please! Just get to the street someone will be there.” John implored him, he knew it was a desperate situation and felt his heart constrict painfully in his chest.

“Don’t … don’t tell me what to do… Mister Reese,” He teased him weakly. He knew it was going to be hard on John and wished with all his heart it didn't have to happen like this. 

“Finch…” John was beyond frightened now as he listened to Harold’s words begin to slur and become harder to hear.

“It’s been… won... wonderful working… with you John.” He smiled softly thinking of John’s handsome face.

“Please Harold… don’t give up. Just get to the street.” John’s voice started to break as he continued to hear Harold’s low and labored breathing weakening by the second.

“Please… tell Detective Carter... and the others... that I’m... I'm eternally... grateful and… and that…”

“You’ll tell them yourself, Finch.” The pain in John’s chest was getting worse the closer he got to him.

“I’m afraid... not John..." Harold knew he was near the end. He wanted John to understand how important he'd been to him from almost the very beginning of their partnership and he was satisfied that he'd had John to help him all that he had. "I’m... alright with this John…” he replied quietly "I'm okay..."

“God damn it, I’m not! Please don’t give up Harold… please.” John was so close now but he was scared to death of what he was going to find when he got there.

“I’ll…” Harold went quiet for a few moments as John listened to his breathing start to diminish and grow shallow. 

“Finch!” He exclaimed as he raced through the streets, almost there.

“I’m here John… I’m sorry… for a minute… I lost myself… I lost my...self,” He answered faintly.

John came to a screeching halt and shot out of the car to run around to the back alleyway. He saw his partner immediately just a few yards from the back door of the building, laying sideways, slumped against the wall. 

John saw the vivid crimson blood covering the whole front of Harold’s shirt and lite gray suit from his mid-section down and felt ill. As he got closer he saw the sickening pool of blood expanding beneath him. No. Not now. Not like this. John’s heart dropped.

“I’ll never… be sorry John…” Harold’s eyes were closed as he murmured the words.

“Hang on Harold!” John demanded as he fell to his knees beside his dying partner and pulled him gently into his arms.

Harold gasped in pain for a moment from the sudden change of position and forced his eyes open. He smiled up at his partner. “You’ve surpassed... all my expectations John… gone far beyond what I could... ever have imagined.” He was extremely weak but there was no more pain now, just a serene calmness and he wanted to sleep… he had to sleep now.

“Please Finch…” John already knew it was too late when he heard two distinct sets of sirens. 

Harold heard them faintly now too and smiled up at John one last time through the haze that was enveloping him.

“I’ll be okay John,” He said calmly, peacefully.

He looked up past John now at the sliver of blue sky between the dingy buildings above their heads. “I’ll be all…”

“Finch…” John squeezed his eyes shut for a moment, not wanting to believe what had just happened. He then leaned down and pulled Harold’s body up to him, embracing him… and buried his face in the crook of Harold’s neck… and quietly wept. 

Joss rounded the corner and almost ran up on the two men stopping short at the sight. The second set of blaring sirens, the sounds of an ambulance this time comes to a halt, but it’s too late. They’re all too late. 

She walked over and kneeled beside John on the filthy cold cement as he cradled Harold in his arms and rocked with him back and forth in grief. She waited a moment before she stood up and put her hand on John’s shoulder and squeezed gently. 

Carter wiped her own tears away and hurried to the mouth of the alleyway to hold the paramedics at bay while John continued to hold Harold close to him. She didn't hurry him. She gave him all the time he needed to be with his partner… to say his goodbye.


End file.
